Roku was the best-selling, and most-used, streaming media device in the U.S. in 2014 according to The Streaming Media Device Landscape, a new report this week from Parks Associates, a market research and consulting company specializing in emerging consumer technology products and services. "Roku continues to lead streaming media device sales in the U.S. with 34% of units sold in 2014," said Barbara Kraus, Director of Research. Google takes second place with 23%, and Amazon knocked Apple out of third place.
Amazon, Apple, Google, and Roku combined accounted for 86% of all units sold to U.S. broadband households in 2014. The Streaming Media Device Landscape also reports that nearly 20% of U.S. broadband households own at least one streaming media player, such as a Roku 3, Amazon Fire TV, or Apple TV. Eight percent own at least one streaming stick, such as a Google Chromecast, Amazon Fire TV Stick, or Roku’s HDMI Streaming Stick, while 2% own both types.
“Device shipments and sales receipts are important performance measures, but an equally critical metric for device makers is ongoing usage,” Kraus said. “Usage will drive alternate revenue streams such as content sales and advertising. Roku devices are the most used among U.S. broadband households that own a streaming media device at 37%, followed by Google Chromecast at 19%, Apple TV at 17%, and Amazon Fire TV devices at 14%.”
